UN Urges Lifting of Export Restrictions to Help Developing Countries

Scarcity of medical products for developing countries is likely to worsen as the world’s major economies -- including the U.S., India and Germany -- continue to place export restrictions on virus-fighting goods, according to an April 28 United Nations notice. The UN said nearly 80 countries have imposed an export restriction on medical supplies, creating import obstacles for poor and vulnerable countries, which depend on “the steady and consistent availability” of these items from the world’s major producers. The UN urged nations to “temper” their “instinct” to act out of self-interest, saying export restrictions will be “detrimental to everyone in the long run.”